Student Wholeness Specialist (26-27

Student wholeness rooms are safe, inclusive spaces where students calm down, cultivate social and emotional learning (SEL) skills that will enable them to thrive in the classroom, and access a variety of academic, social, and emotional supports. Student wholeness rooms are expected to contribute to a more positive learning environment that promotes high academic and behavioral expectations, supports improvement in student growth and attendance, and reduces disciplinary referrals.

The wholeness specialist will lead the implementation and management of the student wholeness room(s) within a school. The student wholeness specialist is a caring adult who builds strong relationships with students and then helps cultivate the five-core social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making). If students enter the room emotionally charged, the specialist helps them to de-escalate and supports them in making a successful transition back to the classroom environment, leveraging the tools, resources, and space available within the student wholeness room.

The wholeness specialist is based in a school but reports directly to the district SEL coordinator, with day-to-day oversight and guidance provided by the school principal and leadership team. The student wholeness specialist will work in close cooperation with on-site counselors, mental health support staff, teachers, administrators, and others to coordinate SEL support for students. In addition, the specialist will contribute to learning and continuous improvement by collecting, tracking, monitoring, and analyzing data trends to support school staff and administrators in understanding student needs, behaviors, referrals to and use of the room, as well as which resources are most needed and useful to students.

The specialist will be instrumental in connecting students, staff, parents, and community members with effective resources for cultivating social and emotional well-being.

The student wholeness specialist is not a mental health service provider. If the specialist identifies a student in need of mental health support, s/he will immediately refer the student to the appropriate staff. Students facing serious mental health crises will be directed to qualified mental health staff and services, rather than to the wholeness room.

• Builds relationships with students, with a focus on those referred to the student wholeness room, develops an understanding of their support needs, and provides appropriate support.
• Assists students to develop awareness of and the ability to manage their behavior, including providing tools and cultivating skills for self-calming.
• Assists students, teachers, and fellow classmates in welcoming a student back to their assigned classroom and assists students who have been in the wholeness room to successfully transition back to the classroom
• Continues to build relationships with referred students by checking in with staff and students through classroom visits.
• Cultivates school culture and climate by supporting new and transferring student and family orientations, back-to-school nights, and other school events.

• Partners with classroom teachers to coordinate missed assignments for referred students.
• Supports teachers in identifying and integrating effective strategies for behavior management, supporting the implementation of behavior plans, where relevant

• Participates in professional learning opportunities, coaching sessions, and meetings at both the district and school levels.
• Attends all district-provided professional learning sessions to deepen their understanding of SEL and share best practices with other student wholeness specialists

• Collects, tracks, monitors, and analyzes data associated with student referrals to ensure effective reporting and use of data to support school wide SEL.
• Maintains log of all student, teacher, principal and family communication.
• Maintains detailed work log highlighting tasks performed (i.e., interventions implemented, referrals addressed/managed and other supports provided) and reports on work, as required.
• Meets regularly with the principal and other key staff to share trends regarding student needs, behaviors, referral and room use, as well as resource access.
• Participates in collaborative planning meetings, as requested, to support problem-solving and developing proactive strategies for meeting the needs of students, especially for those referred to the Student Wholeness Room.
• Participates in Student Support Team meetings for referred students.
• Serves as a member of the school's student wholeness "core team."
• Maintains the student wholeness room as a neat and orderly space.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and…